Claire Allison McGuire
Contributing Writer
Where can you find Paramore, Mii music and Coca-Cola all in the same place? The A Cappella Showcase.
On Friday, Feb. 23, students gathered in Scheide Music Center’s Gault Recital Hall to listen to their peers create musical art in front of their eyes. A cappella is a form of music in the absence of instruments, utilizing only vocals to create music.
Wooster is home to a variety of a cappella groups, ranging from pop groups to traditional gospel-adjacent music. Every group was present at Friday’s performance, each standing out in their own way.
The lights dimmed and the stage was shining as the show opened with COWBelles. COWBelles is an all-treble and queer-run a cappella group at the College. With a large collection of voices, the group started off with “Ain’t It Fun” by Paramore, a recognizable classic of the modern era. COWBelles closed out their set with a fun pop rendition of “Back Pocket” by Vulfpeck, which made the audience feel like they stepped into “Pitch Perfect.”
“Being a part of COWBelles has cured my stage fright,” said COWBelles member Marissa Forster ’27. “It’s hard to be nervous singing in front of any size audience when you’re next to some of the most supportive and easygoing vocalists on campus…the supportive community has made it feel easy.”
The next performance was put on by The Dukes, a mixed-voice jazz a cappella group. They are the newest group to grace the campus, having only been established in 2021. Members sang traditional jazz, including the fan favorite “Fly Me to the Moon.”
Merry Kuween of Skots, the following group, is a tenor and bass a cappella group. Merry Kuween is full of star-studded voices, and they performed beautiful traditional pieces.
After These Messages (ATM) is a two-act pony, combining classics, modern music and catchy advertisement jingles in their routines. The group opened with a Coca-Cola jingle so good it made the audience resent Pepsi. ATM also performed their rendition of the beautiful winter classic “White Winter Hymnal.” After These Messages sang the tune of classic cereal brand Rice Krispies to close out their set.
The next group to perform, A Round of Monkeys, isn’t your typical a cappella group. The first co-ed a cappella troupe at Wooster, they bring a fun and comedic element to their performances. The audience burst into laughter when a seemingly serious piece turned into Nintendo’s “Mii Channel Theme.” Next, as an ode to the group’s namesake, the next song was “Daydream Believer” by The Monkees. Finally, the troupe ended with a peaceful performance of “Hidden in the Sand” by Tally Hall. Monkey’s own Eli Kuzma ’26 expressed his excitement about the event. “The performance was a success,” Kuzma said. “There was a pretty decent turnout in the audience, and all the groups sounded great!”
The last group to perform was The College of Wooster’s only competitive a cappella group, Scots in Harmony. Scots in Harmony is a co-ed ensemble aimed to make competition a part of the Wooster music scene. With a healthy medley of R&B music, the group truly wowed. The performance given at the showcase will be performed and judged at the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella Midwest Quarterfinals in Cleveland the weekend of March 2. As of Feb. 26, tickets are still available to cheer them on in the group’s Instagram bio.
Wooster’s A Cappella Showcase has proven the amount of hard work, dedication and talent behind these performances. Catch these groups’ next performance at the OneEighty Benefit Concert, set for April 7!